A Rose by Any Other Name
by courthummel
Summary: Kurt and Rachel meet at an unspecified point in the future to talk about something that has been troubling her. One-Shot with potential for multi-chap continuation. Future fic. Hummelberry friendship with mentions of Klaine


**AN- Just a quick note to say sorry to anybody reading this who is awaiting updates on my other fics... I'm feeling a bit writers blocky at the moment with those whereas this just tumbled into my head...**

**Also this is my first Glee fic so feedback would be really helpful...**

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><p>Kurt had noticed that Rachel had something on her mind as soon as they had met in the sweet little cafe they favoured. She covered it well, of course, as they entered and ordered their drinks, chattering lightly about how rehearsals were going, complimenting his new bag and mentioning the traffic that morning. It was only once they were sat down with their beverages that she brought up what was troubling her. Kurt had expected this; he knew she didn't want to meet up with him mid-morning on a Wednesday just to catch up.<p>

"I heard from Noah the other day," she mentioned casually, the only sign of her discomfort being a tiny furrow between her brows, "he's enjoying Australia."

Kurt frowned a little. "I see. This is troubling news because...?"

He watched as Rachel's thoughts played out in the subtleties of her expression. She looked at her hands as she considered denying there was an issue, she bit her lip as she thought about how to carefully word what she next said, and she finally sighed with resignation before she spoke. "He didn't mention anything that I had told him in my email to him. I'd told him all about rehearsals, and the agents I've met with, and the auditons I have coming up over the next few months and he didn't ever refer to anything. Not a "Well done", not a smiley emoticon, nothing. I mean, what do I have to do to get some congratulations? Is that really so much to ask? I mean you and Blaine practically baked me a cake that time I was quoted by The Post."

"That's because that's the first step to becoming famous, Rachel, and we already have our statements planned for when we appear on TMZ as your 'unidentified male companions'." Kurt said, adding condiments to his drink. "That aside, what did you expect? Puck's probably having the time of his life, of _course_ he's going to be excited to tell you what he's been up to and maybe forget to mention your news."

Rachel's bottom lip stuck out slightly as she replied. "And I'm not? What's the point in having the time of your life if nobody is amazed or even interested in what you're doing?"

"You know, Rachel," Kurt began levelly, stirring his drink, "people rarely rarely mean it when they say they're amazed. What they usually mean is they are surprised, or impressed, or really happy for you."

"But that's just the point," she sighed, leaning forward onto the table and flicking a spoon so it clattered around on the table, "nobody's ever any of those things. They're just like 'that's cool, do you think next time I come and visit you'll be able to get your dorm room to yourself?'"

Kurt smirked, recognising the incredibly accurate impression of Rachel's boyfriend. She had been right, as usual; she really was a truly excellent actress.

"Let me ask you this, Rachel; what do you think of what Finn's doing with his life, or Santana?" Kurt asked, taking a sip.

Rachel regarded him for a moment, playing with the ends of her hair and squinting from under her heavy bangs. "I think it's great. I mean Finn's always wanted to do something with football and Santana, well, she looked really hot in that centrefold."

Kurt flushed furiously, remembering opening the magazine Santana had group-emailed him about to the page she had indicated and dropping it, open on the pavement, when he realised he was seeing more of her than he had ever wanted to. He frowned and blinked a couple of times until he was focusing on Rachel fully again, taking in her pouting lips and down-trodden expression.

"Exactly. But what if we heard that Santana had given up on her attempt to become the new Kim Kardashian and had in fact joined a convent?"

Rachel burst into gigges and sat up, holding her hand over her mouth to stop herself from disturbing the peace in the little cafe. "Well that would be completely unbelievable, I mean she's Santana; when her sex tape was released online on the same day as that engagement party she was really mad that nobody had thought to get her any gifts. She stole one of the fruit baskets." She said, finishing with a serious tone to her voice. Kurt smirked at the memory.

"Exactly. You would be amazed. Because it's out of the ordinary and unexpected." He said to her sweetly. He was surprised when she huffed and slumped back in her chair, flicking her shining hair over one shoulder and staring at a point just over Kurt's shoulder.

"So that's why nobody ever congratulates me? Because I'm so ordinary?" She said, a hard edge to her tone of voice.

Kurt gaped at her before leaning forward and pulling her hand from the crook of her elbow to hold it in his own.

"No, because you're so _extraordinary_." He told her, smiling when her eyes finally met his, curiosity shining at him through her dark pupils. "Rachel you've always known exactly where you want to be and exactly how you wanted to get there. When any of the New Directions find out what you've achieved, they aren't surprised because with you it was never a matter of _if_ but rather _when_ your dreams would come true."

Kurt saw that Rachel's eyes were looking decidedly watery now and he sincerely hoped that if she was going to cry that she would keep the dramatics to a bare minimum. He held out his empty hand to her and was glad when she leant forward and took it.

"So no, Rachel. When you call home and tell your dads that you're the youngest ever understudy for Mary Poppins, they won't send you a gift basket. When I Skype Mercedes and mention that you've been cast as the lead off Broadway, she won't squeal and insist on phoning you ASAP. And when you win your first Tony Award, I won't tell you I'm amazed. Because I know you, Rachel. You're amazing, and I've always known that nothing could stop you from achieving your dreams." Kurt finished, feeling Rachel grip his hands as she smiled widely, a single tear leaving a shimmering track on her cheek.

She sniffed loudly and took back her hand to discreetly wipe her cheek, still rubbing her thumb over Kurt's hand where it lay entwined with hers on the table.

"You know what I find amazing?" Rachel said, breaking the comfortable silence.

"What?" Kurt replied, sipping his drink.

"How, despite forty hours a week at a sewing machine, your hands are still softer than Burberry leather." She teased, a huge grin on her face. Kurt laughed and smiled at her, squeezing her hand, amazed at how Rachel Berry was his closest confidant, most affectionate friend and most reliable ally.

Now _that_, he thought, was amazing.

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><p><strong>What do you think? If this gets any interest I'll possibly continue it, flesh out their journey from Glee to here and maybe Blaine will pop up...<strong>

**Also I kept the location, date etc purposefully vague as I didn't want to create any fixed details before I know whether to continue with this.**

**Reviews would be heavenly.**


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